While letting your lawn go dormant in summer isn’t a bad thing – especially with concern about water shortages – lack of irrigation does allow pesky weeds to gain a foothold, he said. And regular wear and tear can cause compaction within a lawn, which leads to brown or bare spots.

Now is a good time to whip your lawn back into shape, but starting over usually isn’t necessary.

“You should always try renovation before putting in a new lawn because it’s difficult to get a stand of grass established,” Kowalewski said. “So if you have something to begin with, go with renovating.”

What you have to begin with can vary from addressing a few brown spots to a desert of weeds to hardpan soil. Assess your lawn’s level of neediness and then proceed with a regular renovation or a no-holds-barred one. Most often, a regular tuneup is all that’s needed.

Once you’ve got your lawn established, follow Kowalewski’s three steps to a healthy lawn that will outcompete those pesky weeds: water, fertilize and mow properly.

Watering is a matter of 1 inch a week, but don’t do it all at once.

“If you look at the roots, the majority are in the top 1 inch of the soil,” he said. “The deeper you go the fewer roots there are so watering more than a quarter inch at a time is a waste. So irrigate more frequently with less amounts when it’s not raining.”

Fertilize four times a year. An easy way to remember is to apply on Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day and Thanksgiving.

When it comes to mowing, never remove more than one-third of the grass at one time. That means if the lawn is 3 inches long, cut only 1 inch. Cutting more than one-third weakens the lawn, leaving it vulnerable to weeds and diseases. For most grasses, 2 inches is about top range of what a homeowner will tolerate, but higher is even better.

“Increase the height of the grass as tall as you can stand it and mow once a week,” he said. “If you mow it to an inch, it’s horrible to the health of the plant because you’re decreasing rooting depth and stress tolerance. And you’ll have to water more often.”

Mow once a week in spring and fall, less often during summer and winter months. Instead of bagging up clippings, consider leaving them where they fall. They break down quickly and resupply much-needed nitrogen. The more often you mow, the easier this is to do. Don’t, however, leave clumps of clippings sitting on the lawn.

Aerate lawn with a machine available at rental shops. Pay particular attention to bare spots or compacted areas. Rake off plugs of soil removed by aerator.

If the pH is on the low side (below 6.0), add lime. It’s common in western Oregon for lawns to need lime every two to three years.

Fertilize with a product that has plenty of nitrogen, low or no phosphorus and a medium level of potassium. Check the fertilizer label and choose something with a high first number (N), low second number (P) and medium third number (K) such as 20-2-6. You’ll get best results using a rotary spreader.

Overseed at the recommended rate, going a little thicker on really bare spots. Use a drop seeder for even distribution.

Water daily unless it rains.

For major renovation, do the above steps and add the following:

Mow lawn as short as possible before getting started.

Before aerating, dethatch the lawn with a dethatching machine or power rake, which you can rent. The idea is to expose as much soil as possible. Run the machine across the lawn twice, in opposite directions. Remove loosened thatch before changing direction.

After seeding, mulch with a thin layer of sawdust, bark dust or compost. A quarter inch is enough; don’t overdo it or seed will have a tough time germinating.

Author:

Kym Pokorny is a garden writer with more than 20 years of experience writing for The Oregonian and other publications. She is currently a communications specialist with Oregon State University Extension Service. Kym can be reached at kym.pokorny@oregonstate.edu.

If you don’t have space for a garden – or even if you do – a terrarium may be in your future. “Terrariums are an easy way to have some greenery,” said Brooke Edmunds, a horticulturist with Oregon State University Extension Service. “And they’re fun to make.” Not only that, a terrarium can take on the personality of the person who makes it. 791 more words [ 791 more words ]plantsomethingoregon.com/go-miniature-with-a-glass-terrarium/...

Will they or won’t they? That’s the perennial question when you nestle seeds into the soil each spring and wait for sprouts to make an appearance. Whether you’ve selected and saved seeds from the garden, ordered from a catalog or bought off the rack, they can be a disappointment. But there is a way to minimize your frustration. "It's easy to check vegetable and flower seed viability, and it can save you time later when the gardening season begins," said Ross Penhallegon, a horticulturist with Oregon State University’s Extension Service. [ 301 more words ]plantsomethingoregon.com/give-seeds-a-test-for-a-performance/...